Focus on Energy: Photovoltaics Update

Photovoltaics Update
by Alex Wilson
Solar energy has lost some of its
excitement and urgency with the loss
of residential-solar tax credits and the
dramatic drop in oil prices. Indeed,
the solar-hot-water industry has all
but disappeared in this country—at
least temporarily.
Photovoltaics, on the other hand,
has fared much better. Electricity
prices are still increasing in much of
the country, particularly in the
Northeast. As PV costs drop, they
become more and more cost-effective
for remote applications. In general,
photovoltaics is becoming a good
long-term option for supplying
electricity.
Unfortunately, early estimates of
how soon PV prices would drop to
affordable levels were overly optimistic.
Also, the government has cut
funding for photovoltaics along with
all other renewable-energy technologies.
Nonetheless, the technology is
progressing rapidly,